As a business owner, you might not fully grasp the importance of regularly checking your keywords in your Google Ads campaigns. However, understanding and managing your keyword performance is vital to ensure your marketing budget is spent wisely and effectively. This blog aims to demystify this process, shedding light on how keyword management aligns with business objectives and provides insights into your target market’s behavior.
The Importance of Checking Keyword Performance
- Budget Optimisation:
By regularly reviewing your keyword performance, you can identify where you might be wasting budget and where your spend is most effective. For example, if certain keywords are generating a high volume of clicks but few conversions, it might be time to reconsider their inclusion in your campaign. Conversely, keywords with a high conversion rate should be prioritized to maximize your return on investment (ROI).
- Aligning with Business Objectives:
Your keyword strategy should align with your business objectives. If a keyword isn’t contributing to your goals, whether that’s driving sales, generating leads, or increasing brand awareness, it’s worth reconsidering. By focusing on keywords that align with your objectives, you ensure that your campaigns are purpose-driven and effective.
- Gaining Insights into Market Behavior:
Analyzing keyword data gives you valuable insights into your target market’s behavior. Understanding how potential customers are searching for your products or services can inform not only your advertising strategy but also broader business decisions. For instance, if you notice a trend in the way users phrase their queries, you can adapt your content and SEO strategies to match this language.
Avoiding Common Pitfalls: The Case of Branded Keywords
A common mistake is spending money on keywords related to your business name when it’s unnecessary. If your business name already dominates the organic search results, paying for these keywords can be a waste of budget and can skew your performance metrics. People searching directly for your business name are typically existing customers or referrals, not new leads generated by your marketing efforts.
Example:
If your business is well-known and has a strong online presence, such as “The Grass Warehouse,” you don’t need to bid on your brand name if it already occupies the top organic spots on Google. These searches reflect direct interest and are more indicative of word-of-mouth or direct referrals rather than digital marketing success.
Referral and Word of Mouth:
Word-of-mouth remains one of the most effective forms of marketing. Direct searches for your brand name often result from referrals, underscoring the importance of excellent customer service and product quality. These referrals are invaluable and should be tracked separately from digital marketing efforts to avoid skewing data.
Competitive Considerations: To Bid or Not to Bid
Protecting Your Brand:
In some cases, it might be necessary to allocate a budget to protect your brand name from competitors’ ads. For example, if you notice competitors bidding on your brand name, consider a small budget to ensure you stay at the top of search results. This helps prevent potential customers from being diverted to your competitors.
Targeting Competitor Keywords:
An effective strategy is to research and bid on keywords related to your competitors, but only if the search volume justifies the spend. For example, if you’re a major retailer like Takealot, it might be worth bidding on “Amazon” if there is substantial search volume. However, for smaller competitors with minimal search volume, this strategy is not cost-effective.
Example:
- Takealot vs. Amazon: If search volume for “Amazon” is high, Takealot might benefit from bidding on this keyword to attract customers looking for similar products.
- Small Online Store: Conversely, a small store like “Pandora’s Box” with minimal search volume wouldn’t benefit from such a strategy.
The Bottom Line: Effective Keyword Management
Effectively reading and managing your keyword data is crucial to ensuring your marketing strategy is both efficient and impactful. Regularly checking your keyword performance helps you optimize your budget, align your efforts with business objectives, and gain insights into your market’s behavior. By avoiding unnecessary spends on branded keywords and strategically considering competitive keywords, you can enhance your Google Ads campaigns’ effectiveness and drive better results for your business. While improving your overall ROI. Ensuring you have the most cost effective cost per client acquisition.
Remember, successful digital marketing isn’t just about being present, it’s about being strategic, informed, and adaptable.